8305337 Harris, Ethd Patricia AN AFROCENTRIC VIEW OF THE RHETORIC OF DICK GREGORY The Ohio State University Ph.D. 1982 University Microfilms Internstionsi300 X. Zeeb Road Ann Arbor. MI 48106 PLEASE NOTE: In all cases this material has been filmed in the best possible way from the available copy. Problems encountered with this document have been identified here with a checkV mark 1 . Glossy photographs or pages. 2. Colored illustrations, paper or_____ print 3. Photographs with dark background_____ 4. Illustrations are poor copy_____ 5. Pages with black marks, not original copy. 6. Print shows through as there is text on both sides of page. 7. Indistinct, broken or small print on several_____ pages 8. Print exceeds margin requirements_____ 9. Tightly bound copy with print lost_____ in spine 10. Computer printout pages with indistinct print. 11. Page(s). , lacking when material received, and not available from school or author. 12. Page(s)___________seem to be missing in numbering only as text follows. 13. Two pages numbered___________. Text follows. 14. Curling and wrinkled pages_____ 15. Other Dissertation received with slanted print. Filmed as received, ■ O " University Microfilms International AN AFROCENTRIC VIEW OF THE RHETORIC OF DICK GREGORY DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Ethel Patricia Harris, B.A., M.A. ***** The Ohio State University 1982 Reading Committee: Approved By Dr. John Makay Dr. Linda James Myers Dr. 0shorn Smallwood Department" of Communic^ion To my children, Isaac and Nichole. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to gratefully acknowledge the in­ fluence and assistance of the following persons for making this study possible. Dr. John J. Makay, my adviser, for his encouragement and guidance during my research; Dr. Linda James Myers and Dr. Osborn Smallwood, members of my reading committee, for their words of wisdom and encourage­ ment; and Molefi Asante, author of the metatheory utilized in this study for his advice and commitment to Afrocentri- city. I would also like to express my gratitude to those persons who offered prayers to God Almighty for the success­ ful completion of this study. The limitg.d space allotted here does not permit me to name each of these people. How­ ever, a special thank you is offered to the following rela­ tives and friends, without whom this study would not have been possible: my husband, Craig; his parents, Evelyn and Isaac Harris; Earl and Freya McKethan; Jeannie Gray; Revreend Robert 0. Bailey; Lettie Jackson; Dr. Jennifer Bailey; and Eleanor Devlin. Ill VITA July 3, 1948................. Born - Tuscumbia, Alabama 1970..........................B.A. , West Liberty State College, West Liberty, West Virginia. 1972..........................International Study Tour of the Rhetoric and Poetics of the British Isles, Department of Communication, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. 1972..........................Teaching Associate, Department of Communication, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. 1972.......................... M.A., The Ohio State Univer­ sity, Columbus, Ohio. PUBLICATIONS "Black Communication in Multi-Ethnic America: A Focus on Mordecai Johnson and Dick Gregory." The Encoder : Joupial of the Metropolitan Washington Communication Association, Volume 7, No. Winter 1900, pp. 35-44. FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Rhetorical Studies. Professor John Makay Studies in Organizational Communication. Professor Gary Hunt Studies in Mass Media. Professor Tom McCain Studies in Communication Education. Professor George Lewis iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.................................... iii VITA............................................... iv Chapter I. Introduction............................... 1 Justification of the Study............. 3 Statement of the Problem................ 6 Research Procedures..................... 9 Critical Methodology.................... 11 Review of Literature... ;................ 15 Summary................................. 18 Notes................................... 19 II. The Nature and Development of Dick Gregory..................................... 22 Early Background........................ 23 The University and Military Experiences............................. 29 The Comic Turns to the Stage........... 33 Lessons of the Stage.................. 34 Career Success........................ 36 The Haunting Monster......... 37 Battling Racism......................... 38 The Nonviolent Preacher................. 40 Summary................................. 44 Notes................................... 47 III. Afrocentric Consciousness in Gregory and His Rhetoric........................... 50 Broad Views of Reality Defined......... 50 Levels of Awareness..................... 51 African Philosophy...................... 53 Oneness with Nature..................... 53 Identity Survival of People............ 54 Epistemology............................ 55 INFORMATION TO USERS This reproduction was made from a copy of a document sent to us for microfilming. 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Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 Table of Contents (Continued) Chapter Page Logic................................... 56 Gregory's Afrocentric Philosophy....... 58 Survival of Tribe....................... 60 Cooperation and Collective Responsibility.......................... 60 Unity and Survival. ................ 62 Confronting Death....................... 64 Reverence for Life...................... 66 The Universe............................ 67 Mind-Body Dualism........................ 69 Confraternity in Africa................ 70 Elements of the Black Referent......... 72 The Black Referent................... 72 Perceptions About the Black Audience.... 75 Humanism and the Notion of Unity....... 79 Commune 1 ism-Survive 1 of People......... 81 Oppression/Paranoia..................... 82 Empathetic Understanding............... 85 Limited Reward.......................... 88 Rhythm.................................. 90 S'urmiary................................. 93 Feres................................... 97 XV. The Rhetorical Substance of Dick Gregory... 104 Main Topics of Gregory................. 106 Kennedy-King Assassinations............ 106 Government Agencies..................... 110 The Super Rich.......................... 116 Racism.................................. 121 Sexual Discrimination.................. 125 Right to Eat............................ 129 Care of the Body........................ 131 The Trick............................... 132 America's Youth......................... 136 Colleges and Universities.............. 139 Organized Religion...................... 140 Spiritual Thing......................... 142 The Universe............................ 143 Taboo Subjects.......................... Summary................................. 148 Notes................................... 152 vi Table of Contents (Continued) Chapter Page V. The Styles and Techniques of Dick Gregory.................................... 155 Paranoid Style.......................... 162 Tonal Semantics......................... 164 Intonal Contouring...................... 168 Romantic Rapp in......................... 171 Intercalations.......................... 172 Black Semantics......................... 173 Signification........................... 175 Braggadocio and the Dozens.............. 178 Narration............................... 181 Mimicry.........................-....... 183 Malaprops............................... 186 Pronunciation and Grammatical Structure. 187 Indirection............................